


Still Quitting

by kritter



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: idc, is it lame to put songs in fics, that videos got mad leo vibes anyways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-28 05:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19387636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kritter/pseuds/kritter
Summary: More recovery struggles for Leo, more dealing-with-Leo struggles for Markus. :^)





	Still Quitting

_[I'm not evil to the core](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ What I shouldn't do I will fight](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ I know I'm emotional](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ What I wanna save I will try](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ I know who I truly am](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ I truly do have a chance](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ Tomorrow I'll switch the beat](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _   
_[ To avoid yesterday's dance](https://youtu.be/HDI9inno86U?list=RDGMEM6ijAnFTG9nX1G-kbWBUCJAVMV6YMCjpfH0c) _

-

"I told you not to smoke in the house."

"And I told you to get off my back," Leo snapped. Markus sighed.

"Put it out or go outside," he urged. Leo sneered, flicking ashes on the floor in spite.

"Or...you know, _no_ ," Leo bit with a sarcastic tongue. Deciding to take action, Markus snatched the cigarette, licking a thumb and index finger to snub out the burning end. Leo squinted, and in one swift movement, his knuckles grazed Markus' cheek with enough force he dropped the object. Thrown off balance, he was quick to recalibrate and stand up straight, looking surprised. On top of his general shock from the punch, Leo also looked surprised.

"Fuck," was the first thing Leo said in an urgent breath, rubbing his forehead before pinching his nose with a sigh of frustration.

"Shit, I'm sorry." Still digesting the situation, Markus lowered his eyebrows with a thoughtful gaze, keeping eye contact as long as Leo would allow him to.

"All I asked was you take it outside," Markus offered with a tone of hurt in his voice. Shrugging helplessly, Leo slapped his arms to his thighs with another hefty exhale.

"I know," Leo said with a bit of a whine to his tone.

"I said sorry. I'm... still working on it," he said dismissively, finally averting his gaze to the side. Markus collected his patience, dipping his head in half of a nod.

"Why are you smoking if you're trying to quit everything?" As usual, confrontation made Leo antsy as he found himself tapping his thigh with an anxious mind.

"It just, it takes the edge off," he scrambled for an excuse, staring at the ground with the meek, inward posture of a scolded child. Markus reminded himself that this was much more difficult for Leo than himself, no matter how frustrated he became. Picking up the cigarette, he made a point of throwing it in the nearby trash bin. Leo watched, but didn't speak.

"Your anger has gotten worse lately," Markus said solemnly, respecting Leo's current desire to avoid eye contact and glancing at the window beyond him.

"You're smoking more and sleeping less."

"Don't you think I know that?" Rubbing his eyes, he felt the tears of frustration sting and threaten to fall, but he refused.

"I get it! I'm a mess. Maybe I'll never get sober, but at least I quit the real nasty shit, right?" Markus nodded in acceptance.

"Yes, and that's good." He thought of mentioning his pride over the matter before dismissing the sentiment, knowing it might fall on deaf ears.

"But you can't just replace one vice with another." Leo rubbed an arm and glanced away shyly but nodded back.

"I know. I think," he reconsidered with uncertainty. Markus' expression shifted to one of confusion.

"Sorry, I don't think I understand." Leo squinted the way he always did when he felt offended no one could read his mind, let alone comprehend anything he was dealing with on a personal level.

"It's like.. a hunger, but it never stops. You think about it all the time. Less, as I get away from it longer, but more when I crave worse. Cigarettes are one of the worst things, I get it! And it's nasty and nobody likes it. I don't either," he admitted with a voice of defeat, prompting Markus to raise his eyebrows with surprise before his expression shifted as he digested the information.

"But I feel like I'm losing my mind without _something_." He paused, catching Markus' eyes.

"But you're right." Markus never thought he'd see the day Leo would say such a thing, softening his demeanor as he felt less threatened.

"It's bad, for me, for you, for... whatever." Shaking his head, he pulled the rest of the pack from his pocket and handed it over. Markus took a moment before carefully taking the box, wary Leo would abruptly change his mind and yank them back, but he didn't.

"Toss 'em. And buy me some patches?" Questioning, he braved looking up at Markus again, though his stature remained meek. Markus couldn't help the slight smile tugging the corners of his lips.

"Sure. Want to go now?" Leo nodded. Markus sighed, taking a step closer to test Leo's boundaries. Acknowledging that he seemed receptive, he opened his free arm in offer for physical comfort. Leo looked disgusted, and he promptly dropped it.

"Alright. It's nice outside but a bit chilly. You'll want a jacket." With his head still down, Leo flashed him a thumbs up before turning to fetch his coat, and Markus directedly took the cigarettes outside to throw them in the dumpster – just in case.

-

"Do they hurt?" Leo blinked at the question and sneered, before chuckling at Markus’ naivety over the matter.

"Thank fuck not. If anything, I forget they're there." Markus tilted his head.

"Isn't that bad?"

"Fucks up my dreams," he replied with a single shoulder shrug. Markus shook his head with a wary glance.

"Let's start a schedule. Set reminders on your phone," he urged, before pausing.

"Okay?" Double-checking with someone that hated being told what to do never hurt, and he was thankful Leo remained calm in response.

"Sure," he said rather simply. Sometimes Markus couldn't keep track of his moods, but this time he couldn't complain.

"I'll check the box for the hours or wherever and keep them off before bed. Can't sleep enough as it is," he said half-jokingly. As usual, Markus refused to feed into the negativity.

"Are you hungry? You skipped breakfast."

"No," Leo said honestly.

"I'll grab a snack from the store. Wasn't feeling eggs, I guess."

"Have you hydrated?" Leo looked genuinely shocked he'd forgotten.

"I’ll grab a water bottle while we’re still at the store.”

“Have you thought of any hobbies yet? It’ll help to distract yourself,” Markus commented. Leo shrugged dimly and shook his head.

“I mean, I used to be boss with a footbag back in the but I don’t think that counts and I can’t after I fucked up my leg.”

“If you enjoy it, it counts,” Markus reassured, and for a moment Leo felt comforted.

“Besides, physical therapy is good for injuries like that.” Leo avoided the commentary, as well as the ache stirring back up in his shin from muscle memory alone, knowing the exercise would make it worse and thus wanting to avoid it.

“Anyway, I dunno, I guess nothing seems exciting to me. Painting? Boring. Collecting, gardening, whatever.” _Plus I suck at everything anyway,_ he thought to himself but didn’t degrade himself out loud.

“You’re good with the garden, though,” Markus complimented, but Leo waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s not hard, but I’m not gonna get my hands dirty about it.”

“Why don’t you play an instrument? Your hands are fine.” Blinking, Leo mused over the idea, seeming to accept it while his eyes grew distant in consideration. Markus finally felt a twinge of accomplishment.

“Hey, yeah, that might be cool. Not piano, though. Fuck that Mozart bullshit,” he responded, and Markus took it with a grain of salt and a look of amusement rather than offense.

“Yeah, yeah. I didn’t think it was your style, anyway. What do you think? Guitar? Drums?”

“Guitar’s overrated, but drums are cool I guess. Bass rocks, too.” Markus dreaded the idea of the loud sound they would make either way.

“No panflutes?” He jested, and Leo scoffed.

“Yeah, real funny. Anyway, I guess we can go look at the music shop.” Leo knew himself well enough to be aware he’d probably get frustrated and give up, but internally urged himself to try, anyway.

“Whenever you want to,” Markus offered.

“The nearest place is open until six. We could go tonight if you wanted.” Leo rubbed his arm, growing timid all over again as he thought over the idea of looking like an idiot in a place like that, still struggling with his own self-esteem.

“Okay,” he agreed with a rather docile voice.

“That sounds nice. Wouldn’t hurt me to get some _fresh_ air,” he murmured.


End file.
